Digitally enabled telephones and other connected devices, including cellular telephones, so called “smart phones”, Java enabled phones and VoIP telephones (telephones which communicate through the “Voice over IP” protocol, also known as Internet telephones) are all able to communicate with a server. Unlike simple analog telephones, this ability to communicate with a server increases the variety and type of services which may be offered through such telephones. For example, one type of service which may be offered is the ability to synchronize data with a server.
In order to support such synchronization, various protocols and standards are known, including the Open Mobile Alliance Data Synchronization (OMA DS) protocol. This standard, which is also known as SyncML (its former name), defines a protocol for a platform-independent information synchronization. SyncML is most commonly thought of as a method to synchronize contact and calendar information (PIM) between some type of handheld device and a computer (personal, or network-based service), such as between a mobile phone and a PC or a Server. However, from the experience of many mobile operators that launched SyncML services, it has been found that SyncML is a technology that fails to meet the requirements of a commercial mobile data service. Among the many significant deficiencies of SyncML are the manual configuration and initiation which are required in most implementations and which are difficult for the average user to perform, and the limited support for content, which is mostly PIM. Thus clearly a better solution is desired.